Aviptadil
Also known as: Zyesami, RLF-100, Invicorp
Synthetic vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), studied in COVID-19 respiratory failure. Not FDA-approved; FDA declined emergency use authorization.
Last updated
Mechanism of Action
Aviptadil is a synthetic form of human vasoactive intestinal peptide, a 28-amino-acid neuropeptide. It binds VPAC1 and VPAC2 receptors, which are abundant on lung alveolar type II cells, and has been proposed to protect these cells, support surfactant production and reduce inflammatory cytokine release. VIP also relaxes smooth muscle in blood vessels and erectile tissue, the basis for its use with phentolamine in erectile dysfunction.
- Half-life
- ~1–2 minutes (plasma, as for native VIP)
- Administration Routes
- Intravenous, Inhaled, Intracavernosal
- Research Status
- Clinical
Reported Benefits
- Studied IV and inhaled in critical COVID-19 with respiratory failure; the NIH TESICO trial found no benefit
- Studied in acute respiratory distress syndrome
- With phentolamine (Invicorp), licensed in the UK and some European countries as an intracavernosal injection for erectile dysfunction
Potential Side Effects
- Low blood pressure and flushing
- Diarrhea
- Fast heart rate
- Facial flushing and bruising at the injection site (intracavernosal use)
Common Dosing
No FDA-approved dose. COVID-19 trials used escalating IV infusions over three days in intensive care, or nebulized doses. The European erectile dysfunction product is a fixed-dose combination with phentolamine. Any use is set and supervised by the prescribing clinician.
The dosing information above is aggregated from research literature and anecdotal community reports for educational purposes only. It is not a recommendation, prescription, or medical advice. Peptides are sold as research chemicals only and are not intended for human use.
Contraindications
- Investigational in the US: not established
- Caution with low blood pressure
- Invicorp: conditions that predispose to priapism, or when sexual activity is inadvisable
No documented stacking partners for Aviptadil yet.
- View
Intravenous aviptadil and remdesivir for treatment of COVID-19-associated hypoxaemic respiratory failure in the USA (TESICO): a randomised, placebo-controlled trial
2023
Note: Factorial trial: the aviptadil-vs-placebo comparison is reported separately from remdesivir.
- View
The Use of IV Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (Aviptadil) in Patients With Critical COVID-19 Respiratory Failure: Results of a 60-Day Randomized Controlled Trial
2022